How to Introduce China’s System of Political Parties to Foreigners?

On November 5, The CPPCC News published an interview with Zhou Tienong, vice-chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee and chairman of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, translated by CDT:

When asked how he usually introduces China’s system of political parties to foreigners, Zhou said:

I am used to introducing China’s system of political parties from two dimensions – our basic national conditions and our efforts to develop the country. China is a developing country and in the process of development there needs to be someone to take the leading role. A political force has to live up to two requirements if it wants to take that leading role: First, it has to be stable; Second, it cannot be conservative and should be very willing to be supervised by all parties. The Chinese Communist Party is such a force. On one hand, its ruling status was formed from history. No one is trying to topple it from power. So it is stable. On the other hand, we can supervise it so that it won’t become conservative on the precondition that no one tries to topple it.

I think supervision that does not aim to topple (the ruling party) is most effective. The participating parties’ supervision of the ruling party is for the sake of the better execution of its work. It helps consolidate the status of the ruling party, which is apparently happy to accept such supervision. On the other hand, if the supervision aims to throw (the ruling party) out of power, there will be a lack of trust. One side is forced to be vigilant about the other side’s every sentence and to study its real intentions – does it want to supplant us (as the ruling party)? In this case, the supervision will achieve little.

So China’s system of political parties is not only favorable to the stability of political forces but also to the ruling party’s willingness to accept supervision. I told them (foreigners) that the current system of political parties had guaranteed political stability and economic prosperity for China for 30 years uninterrupted. This is a certainty. To adopt a new system of political parties will be an uncertainty. Of course there are some problems in this certainty, but it is good and acceptable in general. Since the status quo is acceptable and we feel not so bad, why should we find a new uncertain alternative to replace it? Many foreign friends agreed with my point of view.”